Date Conflict with White Fences Show

On behalf of Wellington Classic Dressage (WCD), we are responding to the recent article posted by Ken Braddick on Dressage-News.com regarding a potential date conflict for the Friday date only of the upcoming Back to White Fences show in March 2014. This potential date conflict was part of an on-going process with USEF between Wellington Classic Dressage (WCD) and Equestrian Show Holdings (ESH), which started back in 2013. WCD did not suddenly “file a complaint” against Adam Pollack or his White Fences Show Licensee, and this was NOT an intent to sabotage the season so close to the actual show dates as was incorrectly reported in this article. It was simply a dispute regarding 1 show day in an entire show season. It is unfortunate that this appears to be a pattern of reporting that does not represent an accurate and unbiased account of the facts. Instead, it reports only the opinions of the author and of Adam Pollack, and is not based on any official comment from USEF, WCD or ESH.

There are numerous inaccuracies in the article related to the intent and manner of the date conflict. First and foremost, Wellington Classic Dressage was and remains the Priority Date Holder for the Thursday and Friday show days for this respective competition week. WCD hosted USEF licensed and FEI recognized competitions on this date since its inception, primarily at the Equestrian Estates venue as part of the IHS Show season, although WCD remained the licensee. As part of a joint meeting with USEF and the Florida CDI organizers back in May of 2013, we were asked to work together to reduce the Florida CDI and national calendar. Throughout the summer of 2013, WCD and ESH had numerous communications with USEF regarding the 2014 season date calendar for Florida, and as part of a joint agreement for 2014, WCD and ESH signed joint permission letters to allow ESH to run a competition on the March 20-21, 2014 date. It is unclear how, but without the permission of WCD, Adam Pollack’s White Fences show was allowed to run on our 2013 Friday date. When WCD and ESH submitted our joint permission letter to USEF for the 2014 season date, USEF advised us of a potential date conflict for the Friday date with the White Fences show. Subsequently WCD requested USEF look into the matter and to resolve the date conflict. It was our intent to work this out amicably and in a manner that was fair to all parties involved.

For the record, both ESH and WCD have declined to host the show on Friday March 21, 2014, so Adam Pollak will be allowed to host his White Fences show on this date for 2014.

Wellington Classic has supported the sport in the community for many years and we look forward to doing so in the future.